


Falling for You

by mydramaticflair (rainbowshirbert)



Series: Taking Flight (HTTYD Oneshots) [3]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Goofy - Freeform, Hiccstrid - Freeform, Young Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, before httyd, dorky hiccup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:40:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24272215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowshirbert/pseuds/mydramaticflair
Summary: Hiccup has a plan to have Astrid hug him-well, sorta.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Series: Taking Flight (HTTYD Oneshots) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724164
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Falling for You

**Author's Note:**

> This is the dorkiest thing I've ever written but I also kinda love it. Set a year or two before the first movie.

She was the coolest girl in the village. Whenever she walked past, her bangs swinging in and out of her face so he could never see exactly what she looked like, his heart stopped, and so did he, just so he could stare.

Astrid was totally out of his league-and everyone's league for that matter. Even Snotlout couldn't get her, something that gave Hiccup a bit of satisfaction. The boy tried harder than Hiccup to get her and always failed with his flirting, whether she decided to kick him in retaliation to his proposals or just roll her eyes depended on her mood. It was enough to make him scared to try to ask her out or even find a way to hang out with her, but he was still hopelessly falling for Astrid Hofferson.

Hiccup was pretty alone on Berk, his only friend being Gobber. His blacksmith work gave him something to do, but often it also offered him the opportunity to think while metal melted or if no one needed their axes sharpened. Of course, this often made him called a daydreamer and "awful apprentice" as Gobber gently stated, but it gave him time to dream about Astrid, talking to her, her laughing at something funny and clever he said, then sharing a first kiss, his first kiss. He knew it wouldn't happen, so he just sat there and let himself imagine it, hoping maybe, miraculously, she could find him tolerable. That would at least make him better than everyone else on Berk compared to her.

He might as well not even exist, though. She ignored him completely, and maybe it was better than her making fun of him like Snotlout and the twins, but it also didn't make him feel any better. Any time she or Fishlegs refused to stick up for him or walked away when he tried to strike a conversation he felt a bit more of his heart break.

After years of being sidelined for his inability to win Thawfest or anything really, Hiccup finally decided to put things into his own hands when Snotlout shoved him to the ground and got Ruffnut and Tuffnut to spit insults in his face before releasing him so he could run off in humiliation. Hiccup covered his face with his arm so no one could see the tears falling down his face, or the weakness, as Berkians thought. Tears were for babes or a sheep being carried off in a dragon's claws. He'd never seen the great Stoick the Vast allow a single one to fall from his eyes, so he definitely shouldn't, as his son. 

But he was weak, and Snotlout made sure that he knew that. 

Astrid knew that, and that's why she didn't like him.

But the idea gave Hiccup an idea. He had wished more than anything Fishlegs or Astrid would intervene and become his hero. He remembered hearing that girls liked big strong guys who took care of them. Astrid didn't seem like one of those people. Maybe she liked rescuing others and being the strong one.

So he was going to let her do that for him.

It was a long shot and he knew this very well, but if there was any chance of making her smile because of him, he was going to take it. 

Besides, his plan involved getting a hug from Astrid, however involuntary on her part.

He walked down to breakfast the morning after his idea unusually chipper for having a bruise on his chest and pride from Snotlout's boot and words. His father barely looked up from the table and grumpily said a "Good morning" while going through his task list of the day.

"Any tasks for us to do?" Hiccup asked, for once hoping he wouldn't be hiding out in Gobber's workplace all day. Sure, he didn't want to face Snotlout or the twins after yesterday, but if he had to do something with the other two parts of his not-very-friendly-friend-group, then it wouldn't be too bad of a day to take action.

"People want more firewood for Devastating Winter," Stoick stated, looking at his son. "Think you and the others can handle it? It's a lot of wood, son."

Hiccup knew his father was really asking if he could carry pounds and pounds of wood all day, and Hiccup took the challenge. "Pretty sure, yeah."

"Great. You'll start in twenty minutes."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "Twenty minutes. As in really, really soon?"

"Yes. No better time. Sunrise to sunset. Maybe they'll pay you a bit for your work."

He sighed. "Do we at least get a lunch break?"

"Sure."

He lifted his head up. "Alright." Gulping down the last of his breakfast, Hiccup rushed upstairs and got the wooden, splintered comb off his desk and tried to comb his hair as nicely as possible, not that it helped his skinny legs and frame look any better.

Tugging on his boots, he grabbed his satchel with his notebook and pencil and snatched an apple from the table as he climbed down the stairs while plopping it in his bag.

"Don't mess anything up," Stoick called with obvious confidence in his son.

"Thanks, Dad," Hiccup replied sarcastically and trotted out, his breath clouding in the air from the cold and rubbing his arms. There was only a thin layer of snow on the ground that broke apart as he ran over it to the center of the village, waiting for his dad to tell the other adults what their kids were expected to do.

A short while later, everyone else was out. Snotlout looked like he didn't get enough sleep and the twins didn't really look at Hiccup, Fishlegs was uncomfortable, and Astrid just looked bored.

Hiccup could work with that.

Stoick came out of their house and walked down, looking Hiccup in the face before turning to everyone. "Get the firewood. You'll be working all day. Make your own groups. You can break for lunch and then get back at it. Good luck." He then turned away to order a Spitelout's group of men and women.

"I call Astrid!" Snotlout yelled.

"I call not being in your group," she spat back.

"Come on," Snotlout said with an eye roll. "Do you really want to be with them?" He pointed to Fishlegs and Hiccup, both on the edge. Both boys gave each other a wary look and edged away from each other.

"Rather them than a muttonhead like you," Astrid said and spun on her heel. "Come on. Let's get this work done. Maybe we can get out early if we get out enough wood."

Fishlegs walked gratefully after her, Hiccup smiling to himself as he followed. He was right, Astrid did like to lead. The swagger and confidence she had in her stride gave it away and made her radiate the aura of a warrior. A chief, even.

It was almost too good to be true. Things maybe could work out the way he wanted to, after all.

Hiccup set up his first plan while they were stacking wood. The forest was by a rock formation which he climbed so he could "get a better view of the good trees," and he pretended to be looking off to the right while losing his footing on purpose. He made a big show of screaming "woah!" and "oh no!" as he toppled, finally letting himself fall the dozen or so feet, desperately hoping as he fell Astrid didn't just leave him for dead.

To his relief, he was cradled by strong arms that lifted him up and then plopped him down harshly. He smiled to himself, memorizing the feeling of Astrid's arms cradling his body...

To find a scowl on her face.

"Be more careful next time," she growled and went back to hacking at a tree, leaving him on the ground in dizzy euphoria. She'd caught and helped him when he fell. And maybe she didn't smile, but she ddin't leave him for dead.

That was more than what she'd do for anyone else. Hiccup would take it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to talk with more people in the fandom!
> 
> Wattpad: @heeyitsm  
> Tumblr: @mydramaticflare


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